Distorted Hope and Cruster Rags: the Rise of Japanese Crust (1989/2019)

First, I wish to reassure my numerous faithful readers that their beloved leader and torchbearer of good taste in punk - if you need the vulgate I am referring to myself - is in rather good health and has been spared, so far, by that nasty virus roaming the streets and looking for an easy, and preferably weak prey to victimize, not unlike the "apolitical" skinheads of my youth who relished beating up teenagers who wore patches of Crass they deemed deeply offensive to their identity and anti-hippie religion. Those were the days. But anyway, I am sure that all my protégés will be relieved to know that not only do I stand uncontaminated but also that the Terminal Sound Nuisance staff has not been indulging in unproductive slothfulness in the past weeks. Indeed, their worrying natural tendency towards slacking, whenever it raised its ugly head, was harshly punished as I forced them to choose between listening to a 90's shoegaze mixtape or the whip (and they generally picked the latter as any sane person would). They were thus both incentivised and desensitised to work hard and provide their honourable sensei with the ground materials needed to complete his oeuvre, one that would, beyond dispute, replenish our mental energies and restore balance to the galaxy: three compilations of Japanese crust music covering thirty years of crasher madness, noiz addiction, apocalyptic stench and dove logos.  

Instead of engaging in pointlessly dull tasks like taking some fresh air or writing a lockdown diary showcasing the void at the centre of one's life, I decided to dive headfirst in the ruthless world of Japanese crust in order to extract its essence, its core, find meaningful ways to highlight it and create comprehensive but still palatable entries into the Japanese crust modes of expression. To be honest, it was no mean feat, and I am not just saying that to make myself look like an ideal of perseverance, it was a massive endeavour as I had to cut through hundreds of recordings spanning three decades to find songs that fitted my initial postulate. Since, of course, before I send the troops deep into Japanese crust territory, I had to think about what it was I was actually digging for. Doom-like cavemen crust? Epic Antisect-ish metallic crust? So-called Osaka-flavoured crasher crust? Or the specifically Japanese "crustifying" take on Swedish hardcore? Although an educated ear can always spot the Japanese crust bands, they nevertheless display a rather wide variety in terms of speed, mood and intent. What unite those bands, however different they might objectively sound, lie in the very articulate referentiality, the level of fervid intensity and the common hyperbolic tension that permeate the music. I have pondered about the identity and guises of Japanese crust in the past on several occasions for the blog, most notably in the series Japanese Crust vs the World and Noize Not Music is a Fine Art so I point you in these directions if you need more background information about and examples of Japanese crust's referentiality and thunderous vibe. 

Because crust has been a genre capable of maintaining a high level of popularity and quality in Japan to this day, a single compilation would have fallen short of illustrating the density of bands and the different evolutions that crust initiated in a country where punk, in all its manifestations, is and sounds very special. In the end, I settled for three compilations, one for each decade. I am aware that this is not without its shortcomings. Some bands have been going for more than a decade - indeed the immortal LIFE could have been included on any of the three volumes - while others basically sit between two decades. On the other hand, many of the bands appearing on the first compilation, about the 90's, can without a doubt be considered as characteristically "90's crust bands" while many of the more contemporary bands have that typical overdistorted sound that is rather common these days and will, I am sure, be known as a typical "2010's sound" in the future. So while it might not be ideal, I still feel this is the most relevant means of classification available to me. 

Another possible point of contention is, obviously, the selections themselves. As you can see, some bands that technically do not play crust music made the cut. In other terms, there are NON CRUST bands on CRUST compilations. Coming from someone who has always been despotically strict where crust boundaries were concerned, who never missed an opportunity to disparage mediocre crusty posers and who turned Terminal Sound Nuisance into the respectable establishment for elite level crust punx it is known for today, rather like a kosher tag but for the crust cult, the admission of non-crust music into a self-proclaimed crust compilation can be seen as somewhat problematic, disharmonious, if not blasphemous. But then, as cooler prevailing heads would offer, one also has to consider the aesthetics of the bands concerned. Although I am well aware that bands like Frigöra or Isterismo did not abide by the crust rules of music, they used a lot of crust references in their artworks or other paratextual elements so their presence does make sense in the broader context of such selections. Similarly, a band like Framtid never clamoured to play crust music as their obsession revolves mostly around the Swedish hardcore but their unabashed love for the raw mangel sound is precisely shared by many original crust groups so that in the end they are still in the vicinity and can therefore be invited to the party. The pure d-beat bands however were not included since the worshipping of Discharge belongs to a different, though related, genre.

I did my best to be exhaustive and relevant but unfortunately, and contrary to appearances and in spite of my resolve, I am not quite omniscient and I may have omitted some bands that I am either unaware of or deemed too far from the basis of reasoning I subjectively postulated. I wish I could have included cavemen crust acts like Indistinct Unrest, Crusthead Humanerror (yes, that is their name!) or A.K. but the songs were barely audible and unfit for human consumption, though if you focus long and hard, you can make out some tasteful grizzly shouts. Too bad. As for Condoom, I have sadly never got to listen to them but my heart, along with some obscure internet nerds, suggest that they too would have a rightful place in such compilations. What you do get in the end are three compilations that are about 70 or 80 minute long, with 102 bands, and as many songs, in total. As usual, my masterful compiling technique allowed me to equalize the songs like a boss for the most part and you will concur that listening to hours and hours of harsh distorted punk is not always the most pleasant of tasks, though it is clearly one worthy of the Crust Medal of Merit. 

Finally, I hope you enjoy the compilations. They were, as usual, made out of love, and you should enjoy, immoderately and irresponsibly, the pummeling walls of distorted aggression and apocalyptic despair that make up this vernacular crust genre. For a long time, I was rather suspicious of, if not a little antagonistic to, Japanese crust. Of course, as any self-respecting punk with unflinchingly good tastes, I loved the metallic variety of the Japanese wave and praised bands like SDS, Effigy or AGE, but found much of the Japanese crust bands too redundant and too prone to imitativeness. With time, I learnt to appreciate the peculiar art of emulation and referential aesthetics so characteristic of Japanese crust (being a massive sucker for Antisect, early Doom, Sore Throat and the Bristol noiz helped too) and I have grown to become a genuine lover of their local adaptation of this multifaceted genre that has tragically vanished in many places during the past decade but that punx keep alive and well over there. And this commanding loyalty is something I greatly admire. Up the crust.

Below are the tracklists. I am currently uploading the fuckers onto youtube but my computer is old so it takes forever.

1989/1999:

1. AGE “Exploding insanity”, Exploding Insanity mini Lp, 1999 (Niigata)
2. LIFE “Eco system”, The World Lies Across Them Lp, 1999 (Tokyo)
3. Truth of Arize “The day after”, S/t demo tape, 1998 (Kobe)
4. Crocodileskink “Discrimination”, S/t split Ep with Força Macabra, 1997 (Tokyo)
5. Victims of Greed “Mouth head”, No Hesitation to Resist compilation 10'', 1998 (Osaka)
6. Warcry “Hope for a change”, Keep Drinking Attitude demo tape, 1993 (Osaka)
7. Discord “Animal rights”, S/t demo tape, 1998 (?) (Tokyo)
8. Ability “System”, S/t demo tape, 1998 (Mie)
9. Socialcrime “Manzokusuruna”, Protest Noise Ep, 1998 (?) (Tokyo)
10. Battle of Disarm “Human disaster”, 反戦-反動物実験 - Join no army, police and politician split Lp with Brainstorm, 1993 (Tokyo)
11. Despair “The free world”, Final Noise Attack compilation Ep, 1994 (Osaka)
12. Golem “Mid”, Sadness demo tape, 1999 (Tokyo)
13. C.F.D.L. “Selfish shit”, Atrocity Exhibition 12'' Ep, 2002/1990 (Aichi)
14. Mindsuck “Blind and dominion”, Natural Crust & Punk Force compilation Ep, 1996 (Nagoya)
15. Lasting Noise Attack “Prejudice”, 3 Songs demo tape, 1998 (?)
16. Crusade “Dishonest the world”, No Trust demo tape, 1992 (Osaka)
17. Mental Disease “Red needles”, Get the Knowledge. Free your Mind Ep, 1996 (Kariya)
18. Collapse Society “Practice?”, Tokyo Crusties Conp, compilation Ep, 1994 (Tokyo)
19. Acid “Gray Earth”, Gray Earth Lp, 1991 (Tokyo)
20. Frigöra “Religion”, S/t Ep, 1995 (Kawasaki)
21. SDS “Riding on the ghorst at the midnight”, Pain in Suffering / Future Stay in the Darkness Fog split Lp with Misery, 1991 (Gifu)
22. Unwise “Worth of existence”, Worth of Existence Lp, 1993 (Tokyo)
23. Gloom “Scum”, Recomendation of Perdition 12'' Ep, 1997 (Osaka)
24. Äpärät “Disposition”, Chaos of Destruction comilation 3x Lp, 1997 (Yokohama)
25. Condemned “Disease germ in the present day”, To All Human Error demo tape, 1994 (?) (Osaka)
26. Instinct “Ordered brains”, Massenslavement demo tape, 1997 (Nakama)
27. Abraham Cross “Course for life”, Peace can't Combine 12'' Ep, 2002/1995 (Tokyo)
28. Hakuchi “World in a mess”, Gods Disturb Ep, 1993 (Niigata)
29. Macrofarge “In the world”, S/t split flexi Ep with Euthanasia, 1989 (Tokyo)
30. Defiance “Deformed peace”, What is Crust? What is Melo-Core? Be Different Hardcore? compilation cd, 1998 (Osaka)
31. Iconoclast “After the blood shed”, Who Does the Freedom and Equality Exist For? Ep, 1994 (Kanazawa)
32. Reason Why “Contradiction”, Final Noise Attack compilation Ep, 1994 (Osaka)
33. Reality Crisis “Chain & rule...united”, Deformed Society Ep, 1999 (Nagoya)
34. Antiauthorize “System roots”, Our Wind... Ep, 1995 (Tokyo)
35. Carnage “Change”, What is Crust? What is Melo-Core? Be Different Hardcore? compilation cd, 1998 (Mie)

1989/1999

2000/2009:

1. Contrast Attitude “Judgment of the cross”, Awave! / Now the World is from CHAOS to another more CHAOS... split Lp with Acrostix, 2004 (Mie)
2. Effect “Fight for freedom”, Effective Disaster cd, 2005 (Tokyo)
3. Voĉo Protesta “Scarred”, Slave to Convention – a Tribute to Doom compilation cd, 2007 (Tokyo)
4. Revölt “Destiny of doom”, Crust Night 2002: the War Begins for Them!! compilation cd, 2002 (Kumagaya)
5. Proof of Existence “What will happen tomorrow”, Scriptural Disaster Lp, 2003 (Yokohama)
6. Calamity “Destroyed oppression”, Crust Night 2003-2004: Destroy Amm War Bastards and we Know it!!! compilation cd, 2004 (Tochigi)
7. Agree To Differ “No justice in war”, System is Maintained by Us. If we suspect it, we can Unite to Break the fuckin' System!! split 2x Ep with Change, 2002 (Hiroshima)
8. Sacrifice “Beite beatha bas”, Crust Nights 2005 compilation cd, 2005 (Sendai)
9. Arize “Destroy!”, This is Arize World demo tape, 2003 (Gifu)
10. Peaceful Collapse “麻痺”, Reality? demo cdr, 2003 (Sendai)
11. Defector “Lunatic annihilation”, (パンクシステムデストロイ) Punk System
    Destroy Ep, 2003 (Osaka)
12. Urban Head Raw “Throw it away”, End of Restraint compilation cd, 2003 (Kitakyushu)
13. Unkind “(F)”, Crustie Not Hippies Ep, 2004 (Kanagawa)
14. Kriegshög “Extinction”, S/t split Ep with Deathtribe, 2008 (Tokyo)
15. Border Line “Lost in maze”, S/t demo cdr, 2004 (?) (Fukushima)
16. Equality “Revenge is peace?”, Our Lips Say Freedom demo tape, 2002 (Aichi)
17. Affect “Darkness silence”, Darkness Silence demo cdr, 2004 (?)
18. Argue Damnation “Manifesto”, Direct Action Now Lp, 2000 (Kobe / Osaka)
19. Screen Out “Innosent victims”, Despair of Ignorant Ep, 2000 (Ibaraki)
20. Minds Continue “No more army”, S/t Ep, 2007 (Tokyo)
21. Devastated Goes “Masscommunikill”, Devastation demo cdr, 2007 (Osaka)
22. Alive “Mind”, Mie City Hardcore 2 – Howlling Noise Crusties from Gates of Hell compilation Ep, 2002 (Mie)
23. Chaos Engine “陰核”, Chaos Reigns, a “Ray” of Hope Remains Ep, 2007 (Yokohama)
24. Effigy “Mortal war”, We Knows Our Guilty / Lama on Loppumassa split Ep, 2001 (Takamatsu)
25. Disdomestic Violence “Mad economists”, S/t Ep, 2006 (Saitama)
26. Tohchika “Noise room”, Crust Night 2003-2004: Destroy All War Bastards and we Know it!!! compilation cd, 2004 (?)
27. Death Dust Extractor “Slave system”, Slay Your Masters or Slave in Chains Ep, 2008 (Tsuyama)
28. Hermit Prose “Spiral of the Earth”, Down Beats Sect Ep, 2006 (Suita)
29. Reduction “Nature screams”, Social Disorder Ep, 2002 (Osaka)
30. Zoe “Slaughter”, The Last Axe Beat Lp, 2004 (Osaka)
31. Nationstate “Japanese title”, S/t demo tape, 2005 (Osaka)
32. Answer Crying “Punk rock sucks”, Under the Authority – Endulance and Lie are your Reality? Cd, 2004 (Aichi?)
33. Deceiving Society “Nonsense battle”, Detonation Cruster 12'' Ep, 2001 (Mie)
34. Acrostix “Eternal winter”, Awave! / Now the World is from CHAOS to another more CHAOS... split Lp with Contrast Attitude, 2004 (Mie) 

2000/2009

2010/2019:

1. Avvikelsse “Relief”, S/t Ep, 2016 (Osaka)
2. Sow Threat “Filthy chain”, S/t Ep, 2014 (Okinawa)
3. Ferocious X “Värld av skit”, Värld av Skit split Ep with Sistema En Decadencia, 2019 (Osaka)
4. Ulcer “Remains”, Vandalism Lp, 2017 (Kagawa)
5. Akka “Inverse proportion”, 5 Songs Ep, 2012 (Shikoku Island)
6. Subliminal Darkness “Personal greed”, 4 Tracks demo tape, 2012 (Gifu)
7. Lastsentence “Strange fruits”, S/t demo tape, 2011 (Osaka)
8. Attack SS “Nuclear time bomb”, No Nukes Ep, 2012 (Okazaki)
9. Strange Factory “In slat”, Fukushima Nightmare Ep, 2012 (Fukushima)
10. Framtid “Nuclear power genocide”, Defeat of Civilization Lp, 2013 (Osaka)
11. Disturd “Collapse”, Dark cd, 2015 (Kobe)
12. Massgrave “Yin and yang”, You are Freaks Too... tape, 2010 (Tsuyama)
13. Isterismo “Mentire”, Hardcore Inferno compilation Lp, 2010 (Tokyo)
14. Deformation Quadric “A.B.E. Weapon”, Anger at the Social System cd, 2017 (Osaka)
15. Zyanose “Condemn racist”, Permanent Damage split Ep with Enzyme, 2019 (Osaka)
16. Absurd Society “Refusal of the change”, Absurd-Society =不条理な社会 Ep, 2013 (Sapporo)
17. Disgust “Natural born enemies”, Power Corrupts split cd with Extinction of Mankind, 2010 (Nagoya)
18. Lastly “A look at the now”, Crazy Fucked Up Deadly Local Ep, 2014 (Hida-Takayama)
19. Unarm “核心を問う", Myth and Reality 311 Lp, 2013 (Tokyo)
20. Asmodeus “闇", Life? Demo cdr, 2010 (Tokyo)
21. Scene Death Terror “?”, live in Osaka, 2016 (Osaka)
22. False Insight “Masquerade”, S/t split Ep with Asocial Terror Fabrication, 2015 (Shizuoka)
23. Unconscious Nondiscrimination “?”, live at Huck Finn, 2019 (Gifu)
24. D-Clone “Where is it”, Creation and Destroy Lp, 2012 (Nagoya)
25. Radioactive “War must disarm 2017”, 8 Track demo cdr, 2017 (Tokyo)

26. Kaltbruching Acideath “Customary slaves”, S/t split Lp with Zygome, 2019 (Tokyo)
27. Defuse “Cry of roar”, Cry of Roar Ep, 2017 (Osaka)
28. Dropend “Narcissist paranoia”, Distortion Hell Ep, 2013 (Tokyo)
29. Asocial Terror Fabrication “Soak into the soil”, S/t split Lp with Instinct of Survival, 2018 (Tokyo)
30. Zikade “Extinct conductor”, S/t split Ep with Braincëll, 2019 (Ashikaga)
31. Deformed Existence “Elitists (who spikes and vivid)”, Hate With Patriotism demo tape, 2019 (Tokyo / Niigata)
32. Zay “The question of silence”, Silence and Clamor demo cdr, 2015 (Mie)
33. Axewield “Ominous dream”, War Machine cd Ep, 2010 (Takamatsu)

2010/2019

  

Condannato A Sperare: a Look at Classic Italian Hardcore 81-90 (part 2)

Alright then, this is the second and final part of my brisk and hopefully pleasant walk throughout vintage Italian hardcore punk music. Since I am afraid many of us are still in lockdown, let's call such compiling endeavours mental artistic journeys that you can still pogo to in your bedroom (or in the bathroom if you do not want your partner to judge you). 

If you want to know more about the motivations behind these compilations, I refer you to the first part. Condannato A Sperare (a line from the exquisite last song of the mix), like its twin, aims at illustrating with relevance what made the Italian hardcore wave so special and unique (and, looking with disbelief the insane prices that some 80's specimens can reach, so sought after). You could argue that the Italian sound was the perfect synthesis between US hardcore, British anarchopunk, Bristol noize punk and Discharge-influenced hardcore punk and I guess you would not be wrong. But then, you could also contend that, for all its influences, Italian hardcore was first and foremost its own style and offered a new, rejuvenated aesthetics of punk anger and it is not coincidence if the adjective most commonly associated with Italian hardcore is "furious". 

The influence that Italian hardcore currently holds in the DIY hardcore punk scene is difficult to evaluate. While it is undeniably a prestigious and highly qualitative scene in the eyes of serious hardcore lovers and the fact that the genre has been steadily and widely reissued since the mid 2000's points to the existence of a genuine, if limited, interest. However, outside of Italy, it would be far-fetched to claim that 80's Italian hardcore music is a pregnant influence and referential point for contemporary raw hardcore bands, that generally prioritise American, Swedish, Finnish and Japanese worships, with bands like Wretched being a major exception. Rather strange methinks since some Italian hardcore bands utterly correspond to the notion of "raw punk". 

Anyway, like Quali Domani Quale Futuro, this compilation has 55 bands and 55 songs in a little above 90 minutes. This should get you through the weekend.

Enjoy!

1.Upset Noise « Vita militare », Vi Odio / Warfare split Ep, 1984 (Trieste)

2.5° Braccio « Rabbia e disperiazione », Torino 198X, 1983 (Torino)

3.Infezione « Cazzo per cervello », Oppressione Quotidiana demo tape, 1986 (Modena)

4.Auschlag « Distruzione totale », Last White Christmas 1, compilation tape, 1984 (Viareggio)

5.Riot « Non abbiamo futuro », Il Destino Dell'Uomo compilation tape, 1984 (Chioggia)

6.Disopia « Vittoria », Pace None Significa Vivere Nel Piricolo di Guerra demo tape, 1984 (La Spezia)

7.Attrito « Elogio al vagabondaggio », S/t demo tape, 1990 (?)

8.Reig « Violent change », Disarm Ep, 1982 (Macerata)

9.Bloody Riot « Polizia assassina », S/t Lp, 1985 (Roma)

10.Upside « Golpe », Nati Per Soffrire Ep, 1983 (Sassuolo)

11.Uart Punk « Vita militare », S/t demo tape, 1981 (Messina)

12.Drastic « Agonia ecologica », Tra Il Sogno e la Realtà compilation tape, 1984 (?)

13.Alternativita « Nessun futuro per il qualunquismo », La Notte Dell'Anarchia compilation tape, 1984 (Milano)

14.Pedago Party « Morire a Beirut », 4 Per (A)//(A)(A) Per Tutti compilation Ep, 1984 (Piacenza)

15.Capite Damnare « Lunga vita... alla morte », S/t demo tape, 1988 (Milano)

16.Peggio Punx « Rumori », Disastro Sonoro Ep, 1983 (Allesandria)

17.Kobra « Occupazione », Corri Nel Sangue Dei Tuoi Nemici Ep, 1985 (Milano)

18.I Refuse It! « Sacrifici umani », Sfregio Permanente split tape with CCM, 1983 (Firenze)

19.Bacteria « Non vogliamo piu pagare », Schiavi Nella Città Più Libera Del Mondo compilation Ep, 1982 (Bologna)

20.Blaxfema « Vivisezione », Menes demo tape, 1985 (Pavia)

21.Punk Sound Against « Non abbiamo bisogno del paradiso », Nostra Pelle demo tape, 1982 (Sassari)

22.Acid Cocks « Vita sbagliata », Raptus – Negazione & Superamento compilation Lp, 1984 (Modena)

23.Cani « Guai a voi! », Guai a Voi! Ep, 1983 (Pesaro)

24.Stigmathe « Corri e sopravivi », Suoni Puri Dalla Libertà Ep, 1983 (Modena)

25.The Skulls « V'oi! », Punk Territory Vol.4 – Italian Hardcore 1981-87 compilation cd, 1995 (Catania)

26.CCCP Fedeli Alla Linea « Militanz », Compagni, Cittadini, Fratelli, Partigiani 12'' Ep, 1985 (Bologna)

27.Sinky Rats « Odio »; Vergognati mini Lp, 1985 (Torino)

28.Azione Non Violenta « Morti per amore », Soggetti Nervosi demo tape, 1985 (Falconara)

29.Last Call « Non posso piu aspettare », Tra Il Sogno e la Realtà compilation tape, 1984 (Bari)

30.Raw Power « Burning the factory », S/t demo tape, 1983 (Poviglio)

31.Chain Reaction « Personal autodistruzione », Gabbie Ep, 1985 (Bari)

32.Pravda « Quarto potere », Autogestione! compilation tape, 1983 (Cividale)

33.Obiezione « Vuoto », L'Incubo Continua compilation tape, 1983 (?)

34.Anti « Neuro », Racc N.1 split tape with Sottocultura, Stalag 17 & Impact, 1983 (Firenze)

35.Irah « Marconi occupato », Nè Buoni Nè Cattivi... Soltanto Incazzati split Ep with Stalag 17, 1983 (Bologna)

36.Disper-Azione « Combatti », Sempre Immutada Fede Ep, 1985 (Como)

37.Stalag 17 « Anarchia nella mia vita »,  Nè Buoni Nè Cattivi... Soltanto Incazzati split Ep with Irah, 1983 (Bologna)

38.Basta « Caos », Non Posso Sopportare Questa Sporca Situazione Ep, 1984 (Certaldo)

39.Diserzione « Lotta per non morire », Quando Si Sentirà L'Ultimo Rimbombo... demo tape, 1982  (Domodossola)

40.Strage « Rifiuto », La Note Dell'Anachia compilation tape, 1984 (Milano)

41.Digos Goat « Una visione di morte », Il Delirio Lp, 1988 (Cermignano)

42.Fottutissima Pellicceria Elsa « Si vive per morire », S/t demo tape, 1983 (Gorizia)

43.Disarmo Totale « Vegetarianismo », Opzione Zero demo tape, 1982 (Stienta / Ferrara)

44.Sottopressione « Religione imposta », Rovina Hardcore – Live 1981-1985 compilation tape, 1995 (?)

45.Declino « Coscienza distruttiva », S/t Ep, 1983 (Torino)

46.Negazione « Incubo di morte », Condannati a Morte Nel Vostro Queto Vivere Ep, 1985 (Torino) 

47.Nerorgasmo « Distruttore », S/t Ep, 1985 (Torino)

48.Shockin' T.V. « Solo parole », Milano 1983 split Ep, 1983 (Milano)

49.Juggernaut « Juggernaut », S/t demo tape, 1983 (Firenze)

50.Warhead « Fuckland islands », In Rock We Trust demo tape, 

Condannato A Sperare  

        

Quali Domani Quale Futuro: a Look at Classic Italian Hardcore 81-90 (part 1)

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Bellicose pessimism and the melancholy of Ελληνική πανκ: a Compilation '83/'98

The day is April, 12th, the sun and the country is still confined. The sun is shining, birds are singing, bees (or are they wasps?) are doing whatever bees (or wasps) do and, were it not for a faint but still distinct collective complaint, like a background buzz or something, you would not know we are in France, the nation of moaners, the undisputed champions of grumbling. The lockdown is supposed to be over in a few days but since there is a high chance we are getting served an extra fortnight, I decided to be a proper national hero and help my struggling compatriots through this unprecedented ordeal, boosting the troops' morale so to speak, by making an awesome compilation of dark Greek punk. I know it doesn't seem like much but hear me out.

I already touched upon the subject of Greek punk in 2016 with the series Bellicose pessimism and the melancholy of Ελληνική πανκ (the first part can be found here), a five-part epics aimed at providing a general description and a relevant outline of dark Greek punk as a genre. Illustrating my claim were five fine examples of dark punk music that could not have come from any other place than Greece. I am not saying that those five bands - Γενιά Του Χάους, Γκούλαγκ, Αρνάκια, Χαοτική Διάσταση and Πανδημία - sound alike, because they don't, but that they all share a vibe of melancholia, a sorrowful moodiness and at the same time a tenseness, a sense of combativeness - be it a hopeless one - in the face of life. I am quite certain that none of those bands started out with the intent of sounding all intense and gloomy and that this "bellicose pessimism" permeating the songwriting was not only a reflection of the social and cultural context, but also a characteristic in itself, perhaps grounding the dark Greek punk genre in vibe and mood as much - if not more so than - as in songwriting and instrumentalising. 

I hope that this compilation illustrates such a claim as you will find bands that may technically sound very different in terms of style but share a common moroseness and fighting spirit, common aesthetics of darkness. I do not pretend to be an expert in Greek punk and I basically worked with the bands I was already familiar with, but I may have forgotten important bands that could also have fitted the bill while including some much smaller ones, so if you feel I missed some obvious acts, please let me know. It is, by essence, a subjective selection process. I focused on a 15 year period, from 1983 to 1998, and as hinted above, the range of styles is rather wide, the common denominator being that typical dark punk vibe, from dynamic punk-rock, to mournful postpunk, new wave or free rock. 

30 bands in about 90 minutes. Enjoy the doom and gloom.

1.Ex Humans « Στρατοδικείο », Ανώφελη Επιβίωση Lp, 1984

2.Ορεξη Για Τίποτα / Orexi Gia Tipota « Κορίτσι Βιάζει Αγόρι », Μην Φιλάτε Τον Βάτραχο Lp, 1997

3.Clown « Κλόουν », Κλόουν / Λευκά Κελλιά Ep, 1983

4.Ιδανικοι Αυτοχειρες / Idanikoi Autoxeires « Ωραία Ελένη », Πρώτη απόπειρα tape, 1995

5.Αρνητική Στάση / Arnetike Stase « Αυτολογοκρισία », Love is our Strongest Weapon split Lp with Kismet Hardcore, 1991

6.Όρα Μηδέν / Ora Miden « Σάρκα », S/t demo tape, 1988

7.Panx Romana « Ζω Στο Φόβο », Παιδιά Στα Όπλα Lp, 1987

8.Σκιες / Skies « Ισοβια Δεσμα », Ισοβια Δεσμα demo tape, 1992

9.Εναλλάξ / Enallax « Κόντρα », Κόντρα Lp, 1986

10.Stress « Γενοκτονία », Ήχος Της Ανασφάλειας Lp, 1985

11.Αναβιωση / Anabiosi « Γιατί », Ξεχασμένοι κόσμοι tape, 1990

12.Venericna Bolest « Πυρηνικό Καταφύγιο », Never Trash... a Pretty Face compilation tape, 1986

13.Νεκρική Σιγή / Nekriki Sigi « Ταξίδι Στην Άβυσσο », Ο Ήχος Της Σιωπής Ep, 1994

14.Αρνάκια / Arnakia « Κανείς Δεν Μπορεί », Στο Στόμα Του Λύκου Lp, 1993

15.The Yokels « Εμφανισιμος Πολιτης », Τελευταια Συγχορδια demo tape, 1990

16.Αδιέξοδο / Adiexodo « Εξακρίβωση Στοιχείων », .38 Lp, 1986

17.Metro Decay « Μαύρος Κύκνος », Υπέρβαση Lp, 1984

18.Χαοτική Διάσταση / Chaotiki Diastasi « Κομματικά Εξαρτημένοι », Πολίτες Της Κόλασης Ep, 1993

19.Χάσμα / Xasma « Ταξίδι », Όλοι-Τόσο-Μόνοι tape, 1996

20.Αδραστεια / Adrasteia « Ίσως άξιζε », S/t demo tape, 1998

21.Το Κελί 13 / To Keli 13 « Πλοίο Στασιαστών », Never Trash... a Pretty Face compilation tape, 1986

22.Χωρίς Περιδέραιο / Xoris Perideraio « Το Χρώμα Και Το Σχήμα », Άνωση Ep, 1983

23.Γκούλαγκ / Gulag « Εθισμός », Είμαστε Μικροί Μα Θα Μεγαλώσουμε tape, 1989

24.Πίσσα Και Πούπουλα / Pissa kai Poupoula « Κοινές Καταστάσεις », Πίσσα Και Πούπουλα Lp, 1993

25.Ausschwitss « Χαμένο Κορμί », Απειλή / Χαμένο Κορμί demo, 1983

26.Παρανυχίδες / Paranuxides « Ένα Μυστικό Στο Τέλος », Συνταγη Αντι-Θανατου compilation Lp, 1986

27.Αγανακτισμένοι Πολίτες / Aganaktismenoi Pollites « Φαύλος Κύκλος », Never Trash... a Pretty Face compilation tape, 1986

28.Γενιά Του Χάους / Genia Tou Xaous « Στίγμα », Γενιά Του Χάους Lp, 1986

29.Αποκτήνωση / Apoktenosi « Γενιά του κλικ », Τα Μαύρα Φεγγάρια Της Αποκτήνωσης tape, 1995

30.Anti... « Στρατός, Ελλάδα, Εξουσία », ANTI... tape, 1986

Bellicose pessimism

Give Us This Day Our Daily Death, Uplifting yet Melancholy British Anarchopunk Songs '79/'95: a Compilation

This is the third anarchopunk compilation I did and it has not been banned from youtube (yet?) but I thought that it would be safer to post it on the blog proper. So here we go again.

Third compilation of dark and tuneful British anarchopunk with songs from 29 bands recorded between 1979 and 1995. As with the first two, the purpose of this selection was to emphasize the moodiness and the diverse ways to express anger and outrage that characterize the anarcho wave.  

1. Disrupters « Rot in hell », Alive in the electric chair 12'' Ep, 1985 (Norwich)

2. Faction « Turn away », You've got the fire Ep, 1984 (London)

3. Internal Dimenzions « Wargames », S/t demo tape, 198?'s (?)

4. Youth In Asia « When the wind blows », S/t demo tape, 1983 (London)

5. Potential Threat « A cry for help », Brainwashed Ep, 1984 (Blackburn)

6. Icon AD « Fight for peace », Don't feed us shit Ep, 1982 (Leeds)

7. 7th Plague « Painful death », Aristocrap compilation Ep, 1984 (Wolverhampton)

8. Toxic Waste « Traditionally yours », The truth will be heard split 12'' with Stalag 17, 1985 (Belfast)

9. Slaughter Tradition « Nightmare », Passion revolt demo tape, 1983 (Wales)

10. TVOD « War is for rich men », TVODemo demo tape, 1985 (Bolton)

11. The System « Their corrupting ways », Thought control Lp, 1983 (Wigan)

12. A Touch of Hysteria « Death cart », S/t demo tape, 1983 (Ambleside)

13. Anathema « Fighting to win », Smash the illusion/Acceptance split tape with Systematic Annex, 1986 (New Malden)

14. Wartoys « Ignorance », Indoctrination is the system, indoctrination is death demo tape, 1983 (Wigan)

15. Riot/Clone « A letter to no one », Still no government like no government 2xLp, 1995 (Ashford)

16. Schwartzeneggar « Child of the times », Art XX craft cd Ep, 1993 (London)

17. Honey Bane « Porno grows », You can be you Ep, 1979 (London)

18. Anthrax « It will be alright on the night », Who? What? Why? When? Where? compilation Lp, 1984 (Gravesend)

19. Alternative « Love and life », If they treat you like shit, act like manure Lp, 1984 (Dunfermline, Scotland)

20. FUAL « Repetition », S/t Lp, 1990 (Belfast)

21. The Apostles « Worker's autonomy », Punk obituary Lp, 1985 (London)

22. Chumbawamba « Common ground », Common ground demo tape, 1984 (Leeds)

23. The Assassins « Ronnie's bomb »,  S/t demo tape, 1983 (London)

24. The Mad Are Sane « Collision », Look further than vengeance demo tape, 1985 (Bournemouth)

25. Reality Control « Another sunrise », The reproduction of hate Ep, 1983 (Newcastle)

26. Two-Fingered Approach « World War album », My World War album Ep, 1982 (Cheshire)

27. Omega Tribe « When I'm with you », S/t demo tape, 1984 (Barnet)

28. Morbid Humour « Give us this day », Daffodils to the daffodils here's the daffodils compilation Lp, 1984 (Bradford)

29. Blood And Roses « Necromantra », Love under will 12'' Ep, 1983 (London)

Give us this day our daily death